The English Country House
Yes, I can wallow in the reading and imagining about the life of the people who could afford building the stately homes of England, and who could afford to live there. So what? I can always say it's good research for the novel-in-planning.
This little paperback volume is an expanded and revised edition of a book first published in 1935 or thereabouts by a certain Ralph Dutton. If you google for his name, you'll find lots of references to a fifteenth century namesake of the author, apparently quite an important chap.
Quick with his judgment on taste and style, the author of this book takes us on a whirlwind tour of English country houses. There are quite a few good b&w pictures; and some very useful maps. He's also pretty good in describing life in those houses, and in giving references. So it was well worth the one Euro I paid for it; I would have willingly paid double that.